The Nicodemus enterprise. [volume] (Nicodemus, Kan.) 1887-1887, 1887-10-12
A Buffalo STAMPEDE.

~ one and lived to tell of it, has witnessed a
IL spectacle to be wildly remembered all his
~ days. stampede was common occur.
} ence in the life of every western hunter
twenty years ago; but no one will ever
y look upon one again. The hide hunters
u haven't left a score of the animals alive.
9 During my time I have had several
close shaves from stampedes, but a little
the closest call ever got was the means
OF saving my scalp. 1t was in 1867. and
pretty near on the line between Kansas
and Colorado, at point on the Arickare
branch of the Republican river. There
was famous grazing ground for the buff
falo, and there he was undisturbed ex-
cept by the Indians, whokille only when
they wanted meat. I have seen herds
IN that country which numbered up to
hundred thousand, and which covered
the prairie as far as the eye could see.
What creates a stampede? NOthinC-
anything. While the buffalo is born in
wild state, and ought to get accustomed |
to storms, the sight of wolves, and all
Kinds of noises, he is the most timid ami
NAL on earth. have seen the coming I'D
OF dark cloud stampede ten thousand
buffaloes. 1 have known the howl of
coyOteltO set a big herd in motion. A
HaSh OF lightning or a clap of thunder
seemed to scare them half to death, al
though you would argue that they would {
get used TO 1t. And once started, nothing
but a mountain could turn the great wave |
aside and only exhaustion would bring c
them back to their senses. After herd T.
had fairly started, terror seemed to take t
complete possession of them, and it was S
the devil seize the last one. Then it was a
woe TO the pioneer or hunter who hap
pened to be in their path without grove
to shelter him. I saw, in 1867. on the
Loup Fork of the Platte river, an emf
grant camp which had been run over bv
stampede. There had been seven wagons g
ana twenty -four people, with about thirty
head OF horses and cattle. The rushing I
error stricken herd struck the camp lust A
1t daybreak and was fifteen or twenty ",
passing. Only one human being
scaped-a man who was carried off on F.
he back OF buffalo and left at a spot ten
niles away. Not an animal was left not NJ
vehicle escaped destruction. 1 saw the "
lie OF the camp about noon of that dav r.
nc there wasn't piece of any of the
eavY wagons which I could not have IN
arrled OH under my arm. The people
ad been tramped into the earth-annihil- FL
out. The remains cOuld
,arcely be recognized as those of human az
eings.
But as to my own adventure. There (
ere four hunters of US in the locality Al
'oken OF, killing various kinds of game
I'd doing little trapping, and though W.
enty OF redskins were in that country.
ey did not get on to us for a week. We Yet
I'd camp on small run or creek,
18th grove of about a dozen trees for
elter and about two miles to the north ~
rs spring and another grove. The -,
dams hadn't got hold of Wfnchesters
q knew nothing of revOlvers in those Tha
VS., and war party of less than twenty
e would have hesitated to attack four W.
nters. We kept our eyes open, how r.
er, and one was on the watch while the
Ter three slept. We had been in the Fro
mp nine or ten days, and constantly OF .
rounded by buffalOes, when, one after
Oh, just before sunset, it was apparent VIZ
m the actions of the animals that some-
ng was in the wind. The detach- n.
nts were consolidating all stray bulls A1,s
ming the herds, and almost every buff I an
D ceased feeding and acted anxiOusIy
| i'll at ease. That meant Indians
rious as you may think it. the presence
an Indian will disturb the buffaloes
'ner than that of the white man. We
lldnt say whether it was a war party "no
aging around to attack us. or a hunting ~
ty lowering on the TANKS of the great - u
d. but we made all preparations that ~
hit to defend ourselves.
Hoy
have spoken of the second grove. II r..
composed OF few stunted cotton "ThC
DDS and was in no sense a shelter "sea
" this is what happened during the Ga
ut. \ war party of thirty-five Arana- .,o,.
Indians took up their position in this Of
lie grove, calculating to sweep down Win
N us at daybreak and carry our camp Grow
storm. Along toward daylight they On,
united and rode softly down to within a .,,...
rter of mile of us, and there waited -,
day to break. They would be oh r. -
we'd by the sentinel but would make n shah
and carry the camp Well. it was or.
coming day, and five minutes more
I'D have discovered them to the SEN '',- Z
H. when the big herd, which had been D.
nered to the north of us. began a stam- P,s.t
E. The sentinel heard them at the .f,
tina no bo5 -, - 0A1 oF Then
Id see the Indian war partv. They -
" what was up better than we did hn+ -
were caught between two fires and So.
chief was too slow witted for the No.
on. His policy should have baar - ATea
'ge Us. He might have lost six ~ O.4i
II men, but the shelter Of the eroro .A-1 :
10 have saved the rest and given T.,
N